Garment clasp



Oct. 4, 1938. H P, EFEgQ 2,132,075

GARMENT CLAS P Filed Jan. 13, 1937 fiarry P. ffeffer' Show;

Patented Oct. 4, 1938 PATENT OFFICE GARMENT CLASP Harry P. Keefer,Alliance, Ohio, assignor of fifty percent to E. G. Axelrod, Alliance,Ohio Application January 13, 1937, Serial No. 120,438

2 Claims.

This invention relates to clasps and more particularly to garment'clasps.

The primary object of this invention resides in the provision of agarment clasp adapted to connect two pieces of a garment without injuryto the fabric.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a garmentclasp adapted to be carried by overall shoulder straps, hose supportersand the like.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of a garmentclasp adapted to have its garment securing jaws locked againstaccidental disengagement from the garment.

A still further object of this invention resides in the provision of agarment clasp adapted to be carried by one section of a garment andremovably engaged with another portion thereof upon manipulation oflocking means carried thereby.

In addition to the aforesaid objects this invention resides in theprovision of a garment clasp constructed of an embodiment of coactingelements adapted to positively grip an area of a garment suflicientlylarge to obviate damaging the same by tearing.

With these and other objects in View this invention resides in certainnovel features of construction and arrangement of elements to behereinafter fully set forth in the specification, illustrated in theaccompanying drawing and pointed out in the appended claims and, whilethis disclosure depicts my present conception of the invention, theright is reserved to resort to such changes in structure and size ascome within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a garment clasp as constructed in accordancewith this invention, the same being shown as carried by an overallshoulder strap and engaging a portion of the overalls.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof approximately on line 2-2 ofFig. 1, the lever being shown open by dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the body portion per se.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View of one form of locking ring.

Fig. 5 is a detail inside view of the blank from which the locking ringis constructed.

In the present illustration the numeral 5 designates, in general; agarment clasp as constructed in accordance with this invention, the sameis preferably formed from sheet metal or the like and consists of a bodyportion 6 having a certain area thereof stamped out to form shoulderstrap attaching bars 1 at one end and a pivotal pin I! remote from saidbar, said attaching bars being spaced to facilitate adjustment of theshoulder straps.

The body portion 6 terminates in a head 8 at that end opposite the bar Iand is bent to form a female jaw 9 terminating in a tongue I 0. Formedon the inner surface of the female jaw 9 is a series of laterallyextending grooves 9'.

Pivotally secured on the pin I! is a clamping lever II which is providedwith a head l2 at that end thereof opposite the end engaging the pinl'l, said head is bent to form a substantially resilient male jaw 13adapted to register with and be seated in the female jaw 9 when closed,the free extremity of the clamping lever is also provided with a. tonguel4. Formed on the outer surface of the jaw I3 is a series of grooves l3which together with the grooves 9 provide means for preventing slippageof the garment held between the jaws 9 and [3. The body portion of thelever H is provided with laterally extending grooves l I on its outersurface to prevent slippage of a locking ring to be hereinafterdescribed.

Slidably secured on the body portion 6 and bearing against the clampinglever I! is a looking ring I5 having shoulders l6 bent outwardly fromits opposite edges to provide finger engaging areas so the ring can bemoved to locking or unlocking position on the body portion. This lockingring is provided with a series of grooves I 5 adapted to coact with theaforesaid grooves II in the jaw ll.

While this clasp is herein shown as being of uncovered metal, it may becovered with suitable fabric or otherwise decorated and is hereinillustrated as being secured to an overall shoulder strap S indicated bydotted lines with its jaws engaging the front portion or bosom of theoveralls, it being understood this clasp may be constructed in varioussizes for utilization where the demand for such clasps is desired.

With this invention fully set forth it is manifest that a garment claspis provided which is not only cheap of manufacture but which willpositively retain its grip when locked without damage to the fabric thusengaged.

Having thus described this invention what I claim and desire to protectby Letters Patent is: F

1. A garment clasp of the character described comprising a body memberof platelike form and having a number of spaced openings in its upperpart, the top wall of the top opening and the top edge of the memberforming between them a bar for receiving a looped part of a garment, thebottom wall of said opening and the top wall of the next opening formingbetween them a cross bar, a fiat lever member having its upper endpivoted to said cross bar, the lower part of the platelike member havinga U shaped transverse bend therein, forming a female jaw and the lowerpart of the lever having a similar bend therein forming a male jaw, saidbends extending in the same directions, whereby the male jaw can enterthe female jaw, and a straplike member having its ends bent into hookshape to slide on the edge portions of the first member with its majorportion extending over the lever, the edge parts of the straplikemember, at the center thereof, being bent outwardly to form finger gripsand the lower opening being extended to partly receive a part of thelever.

2. A garment clasp of the character set forth comprising a body memberof plate-like form with its opposite end portions of greater width thanthe medial portion thereof, the medial portion being provided with alongitudinally extending slot of increased area at its upper end, across-piece connecting the sides of the longitudinally extending slotadjacent the widened portion thereof, a female jaw formed in that end ofthe body member opposite the end thereof having the larger area of theslot therein, a clamping lever having its inner end looped around thecross-piece of the body member with its medial portion partially seatedin the slot of the body member and it's free end increased to a widthequal to the width of the female jaw, a male jaw formed in the freeend'of the clamping lever in alignment with the female jaw, a lockingring slidably mounted on the body member and extending over the clampinglever, frictional means between the locking ring and lever adapted toretain the locking ring in adjusted position on the lever, and opposedgripping shoulders formed on the locking ring over the lever.

HARRY'P. KEEPER.

